www.mcdoa.org.uk OY A L "MK NAVAL DIVING magazine■ xt.„,mcer,s/1 ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL AIR-KING 1 lir v,iiterprool cam: is iiil %% II) great _At ..0-141 precision from hard stainless steel for strength, then polished and polished for THE ROLEX The exclusive "Twinlock " screw-crown gives double protection. CATALOGUE Rotor self-winding (invented by Rolex!) Write today for the tree and superbly accurate. With high- quality Swiss bracelet.£49 2s. Sec the Rolex catalogue. Air-K ing and many other Rolex watches at your nearest Rolex jeweller. Rolex—official watch for Royd Navy divers and Pan-American ROLEX Airwap. 111L ROLLX WA 1(11 COMPANY LIMI I In (Fwwder : II. Wilulorl I GREEN STREET, MAYFAIR, LONDON W.I Before your time' (see page 33) 50th f noted by Coasby 8 Co. Ltd., resting Buildings, 1:1gbland Road, Sousbsra Vol. 15 No. 1 21- EDITION www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk A NAAFI BUDGET ACCOUNT is the new way to easy ownership What would you like? A made-to-measure uniform (officially approved cloth)? A diamond ring for the girl you left behind? A watch for your wife? Food mixer? Spin dryer? Electric shaver? New camera? A Naafi budget account gives you instant credit of up to 8 times your monthly payment, with a minimum of formality. Payment by naval allotment or banker's order. Details from any Naafi naval canteen or shop 100 years before Trafalgar, SP APPOINIMEHT 10 HER AHRII1 PPP OUPIN the Portsmouth Brewery IIRICKWOODS 110 MIMS PORTSMOUTH was founded. When you're in Since 1949 TYPHOON DIVING EQUIPMENT has been manufactured for the Brickwood Territory, Sports Diver in the United Kingdom. Today the most comprehensible range enjoy the perfection that comprises equipment of our own manufacture, such as Typhoon Suits, Fins, only comes from long, Masks, Snorkels, etc., as well as selected imported products, Diver's Watches, long experience: Underwater Cameras, Harpoon Guns and two-stage, single hose compressed air Demand Valves. 2 LOCHALI NE STREET LONDON, W.6. BRICKWOODS Tel.: RIVerside 8341 BEST BITTER ,griarLe),1§1.13, 7 www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk R. N. Diving Magazine Contents . 15 SPRING, 1968 No. 1 PAGE EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR'S NOTES .. 3 Editor . P.O. R. CHORLTON H.M.S. `HERMES' .. 4 Treasurer LT. E. W. J. SMITH, Q.D.D. DIVERS' DINNER 1968 9 AUSTRALIAN NEWS II EDITOR'S NOTES CENTRALLY HEATED DIVERS 1 I HE response by YOU the reader DIP CHICK IN CALIFORNIA 12 Tto the plea for more material in TRANSFER UNDER PRESSURE 16 my last Editorial has been alarming. I now have enough photo- HISTORIC WRECKS IN THE SOLENT AREA 17 graphs to cover both sides of my lighter! Elsewhere in this edition, SEALS AS DIVERS .. 19 you will find details of a competition GOING OUTSIDE .. 21 which I hope will spur on those still in contemplation, and add a financial COMPETITION 22 flavour to the efforts of our regular HORSEA ISLAND SUB-AQUA OPEN DAY 23 contributors. In the past, we have relied upon UNDERWATER BLASTING OPENS UP NEW SEA LANES IN FIJI 27 a combination of cajolery and pester- MIRACLES TAKE A LITTLE LONGER 29 ing to get sufficient interesting and informative articles to suit most BEFORE YOUR TIME? 33 readers. I think that we have suc- THE PARABLE OF 'BRUM' 35 ceeded but would appreciate any ideas which you the reader may have. CONTRIBUTOR 36 May I say constructive? I have heard most of the others anyway. I might A SOLDIER IN FINS 39 add, just for the record and to dispel LOCAL KNOWLEDGE 4l any rumours which you may have heard, we have no intention of taking GIRLS AND BOYS .. 42 over any of the National Daily's— OBITUARY .. 42 we can't afford the reporters! In this our 50th Edition, a word of UNDERWATER EXPEDITION 1968 43 thanks to those who have sent in MAC'S MERRY MUSINGS ON THE MAGAZINE JUBILEE . 45 material in the past, and to all those people who have helped in diverse ways to produce the magazine. A special word of thanks to the Divers Schoolie, who has LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .. 47 to suffer the result of my mechanised fountain pen, and without whose help, we would never go to press. With your help and 'sales' we should be good for another 50 editions (if you send the money that is) so can we make 1968, the year when the magazine .has enough material to plan for the future? A few weeks future is enough! ED. www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk salvage task. One of the de-ammunit- frequently during the three months in H.M.S. Hermes ioning party managed to drive a Dock- the Mediterranean. Gibraltar, where yard Crane over the side and the salvage visibility was poor yet again and the PON commissioning at Plymouth much. Diving-wise though, the Isle of fell to us. This proved quite quick; bottom uninteresting, Naples, where in May 1966 we found we had as Arran was good fun. some 30 minutes diving time only being despite it's reputation the harbour is U diverse a team of divers as would required which everyone thought was filthy. Malta where as always diving be possible to assemble anywhere. A further period in Plymouth followed marvellous. Fortunately for us, the was sheer pleasure (where unexpectedly Almost every branch was represented and then to Portland where we were crane settled right way up and they have we found a 2501b. bomb) and two week- in the 44 divers borne. The M.E's were inspected by F.O.S.T. and carried out permanent lifting eyes at the top any- ends off Cyprus where conditions were preponderant closely followed by the an 'Awkward'. All went well except way, but we didn't tell everybody. ideal. Athens, before the troubles, Air Branch, with a leavening of Seamen, for the fact that, due to a breakdown in The New Year found us off Gibraltar provided a pleasant interlude where, Electricians, Stewards, etc. Our oldest communications, we managed to search when tragedy struck the ship. A Sea with lorries provided by the Royal was a P.O. (M.E.) of 39. Our youngest, the bottom before the C.D. team had Vixen crashed on take off and during Hellenic Navy, we were able to get out J. (M.E.) Hudspeth, 16/. Some eight placed the limpets. the rescue operation the S.A.R. heli- along the coast and ran dives from the Juniors owed their place in the team to copter was struck by the ship and then beach. More time in Greece would have A hurried re-charge and another been most welcome as opportunity and the fact that their Training Establish- search produced three out of four ditched. The diving team mustered in ment Diving Officer was appointed to seconds, some were flown out to the sites for expedition dives are innumer- limpets, before completing at 0130. No able. Hermes at the same time as they finished problems were encountered though the wreck of the Wessex, more followed by diving training. The conclusion was Diving Officer still complains about his seaboat, but there was little to be done Aden was next in our travels and here inevitable and there is no truth, in the buttocks being struck by the Gemini other than recover the body of the the diving team became operational, in rumour that they have spent the whole propellor. Opportunity was taken at helicopter pilot. Subsequently, the fact the only time in the Commission. commission sticking pins into his effigy. Portland to carry out Sea-bed searches helicopter was sunk by puncturing it's With its reputation for sharks, the If the divers themselves were diverse, outside the breakwater and several crabs inflation bags. initial approach to the 0630 bottom this was no less true of the Diving were caught. Portland has been one of Opportunities for diving came fairly search was to say the least guarded. Officers. The Meteorological Officer the best dives we have had. was the Diving Officer assisted by the Hanger Control Officer and the Next port of call was Portsmouth Assistant Secretary. Later additions where advantage was taken of the included the Commanding Officer of Horsea Island facilities; excellent they the Wessex Squadron and a Buccaneer were, too, when one is primarily con- pilot. Throughout the commission, the cerned with aquiring time under water numbers have varied slightly though we for large numbers. The quick re-charge have now aquired three genuine upper of sets, virtually at the water's edge cuts deck types as assistant Diving Officers. out all the humping which is so much a All in all big teams are a mixed blessing; part and parcel of the diver's life. Then it is difficult to keep everybody's time on to Gibraltar where conditions were up; it is nice, when ship's bottom poor, and disappointing, particularly searches are carried out before 0630, to the visibility which is normally reckoned- • • be in two watches. to be good. Then back to U.K. for our aircraft complement and from then on A short period in Plymouth followed in opportunities for diving got pro- the commissioning, and opportunity gressively less. was taken to practice ship's bottom searches in Cawsand Bay before sailing Two months later found us at Rosyth, for the Isle of Arran where an excellent where with the aid of the C.D. Team weekend's diving ensued. Visibility was some of our divers were able to carry good and the sea-bed abounded with out their 120 feet dips in Mortimer marine life, though little of this was Creek and a few ship's Husbandry tasks edible.